


Who Thought it Was a Good Idea To Put Them in Charge?

by Timewormbloom



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-25 22:26:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18710920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timewormbloom/pseuds/Timewormbloom
Summary: Summer Camp AU with Will and Gilan having a prank war and Will misusing the rock wall.





	Who Thought it Was a Good Idea To Put Them in Charge?

**Notice**

**If you are reading this on the app Fanfic Pocket, I want you to know that this fic was stolen without my consent. The app creator stole every piece of writing on the app from Ao3. If you want to read this, or anything else I wrote, please do so on my[tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/timewormbloom) or my [ao3.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timewormbloom/works)**

  
  
   Will snuck up the hillside, careful to not make a sound. Of course, considering he was leading a line of twelve preteens he really shouldn’t have bothered. Every kid was armed with a slingshot and the two kids at the end carried a giant tub of water balloons. Will reached the crest of the hill first, falling into a crouch that perfectly blended him into the hill as he watched their target. The campers followed suit, although some opted to just throw themselves flat on the ground rather than attempt to hide.   
  
    Will made a shushing gesture as gestured for everyone to load their slingshots. The kids somewhat managed to follow both instructions. He herded his campers into a line overlooking the field used for swordplay, where Gilan was currently teaching a class. He held his hand up, waiting for the right moment. Gilan was slightly away from his students when he let his hand drop, siganling for the campers to let the water balloons loose. Their accuracy left a lot to be desired, but all the balloons were going in the right direction so Will took it as a plus. Gilan indignant squawk carried easily up to their hiding place. Will ran back down the hill, laughing hysterically as he did so, making a beeline back to the cabin.   
  
   It took a few minutes, but the group finally made it back and collapsed on their cabin floor, wheezing. Eventually, the kids and Will migrated into their bunks. Only to discover that every single pillow in their cabin was gone. A cackle could be heard from outside the window. Will ran over to see Gilan bent over laughing as he watched the events unfold   
  
     “I guess they had the same idea,” one of his campers remarked, poking around to see if the pillows were hidden somewhere in the cabin.   
  
      “You don’t say,” Will responded dryly, giving a very amused and very wet Gilan his best glare.

* * *

  
  
      “Um… Will? Is that a lute? Aren’t you supposed to play the guitar or something around a campfire?” A confused voice from Will’s right piped up.   
  
      “It’s a mandola! And when you’re a counselor you can play whatever you want, so quiet,” Will snapped back, still mildly annoyed about the pillow incident earlier this afternoon. Seriously, who steals someone’s pillows then buries them! At least he had the decency to wrap them up in plastic, but it still took them two hours to find them and dig them up!   
  
      The kid that questioned him noticed the look on his face and wisely sat down and shut up.

* * *

  
  
     “Will! Can I ask you something!” someone shouted from the ground, he poked his head over the edge of the top of the rock wall to get a glance of who was calling for him. Seeing that it was a camper, he swung his legs around and started to scale back down, ignoring the multiple signs posted everywhere telling Will to please use the safety equipment and for kids to not copy anything Will does. He lands in a crouch on the soft base of the rock wall.   
  
      “What can I do for you?” He asked the kid, flashing them an easy smile. They shifted nervously and looked at the ground.   
  
     “Does Halt hate us?” They suddenly blurted, taking Will by surprise. “He always acts like we’re annoying him, and I was just wondering why he bothers to be a counselor if he dislikes us so much,” their mumbled, eyes firmly glued to the floor. This wasn’t the first time he’s had this conversation, so he already knew what to say.   
  
     “Trust me, he loves being a counselor more than everything. The last time someone asked him if he wanted to quit he threw them in the lake,” he laughed, ruffling the kid’s hair. “He acts gruff but he enjoys this, so don’t be afraid to give him a hard time, you hear?” He added, keeping up his easy smile. The kid seemed to lose pounds of tension in a single instant.   
  
     “Thank you so much!” They shouted as they ran off, wearing a wide grin. Will looking after them fondly. 

* * *

  
    “I win,” Halt casually remarked, causing Will and Gilan to shoot him confused looks. “Go outside,” was his only attempt at explanation. Gilan and Will scrambled to race outside, suddenly drastically more nervous then they were a minute ago.   
  
     They ran back to their respective cabins to find that glitter was everywhere. Their sheets, their bags, even the ceiling of both Will and Gilans’ bunks. Thankfully, the damage was limited to only their belongings.   
  
Several hours later the owners of the bunks were gloomily rinsing their clothes off in a fruitless attempt to get rid of it. Halt stood off the side, giving them a smirk.   
  
      “Before either of you say anything, this was the kids’ idea. They wanted to join in on that little prank war you two always have, and who am I to say no when someone wants to cause chaos?” He remarked, much to the dismay of the other counselors. If it was Halt’s doing they could get revenge, but what are they going to do, go after the kids? 

* * *

  
       Will and Gilan watched idly as an extremely apathetic Halt was yelled at by an obnoxious parent who several minutes prior had been submerge, unwillingly, in the lake. This particular parent had insisted that since they came to pick up their kids a full half hour ahead of pick up they should be given a refund since ‘their little angel didn’t get the full experience’. Probably shouldn’t have had that conversation on the pier, but that was in the past.   
  
      Halt just glared at her before turning around and walking away, ignoring the human embodiment of irritation still yapping at him.   
  
      “I guess I won my beat with George,” Will remarked casually to Gilan.   
  
     “Oh, really? What was it?”   
  
      “George said Halt wouldn’t throw someone in the lake until after the camp, wishful thinking on his part, I said it would happen right before camp ends.”   
  
      “I feel bad for the guy. We almost went an entire week without Halt enticing a lawsuit,” Gilan replied, already smiling at the thought of an angry George trying to give Halt a lecture.   
  
      “Still better than last week. He didn’t even wait until camp started.”   
  
     “True. Are your kids ready to go?”   
  
     “Yeah. I’m just glad all that glitter didn’t get in the kid’s stuff,” Will told him with a shudder. Gilan hummed softly in agreement as parents who actually abided by the set times started to arrive.   
  
     “Rematch next week?”   
  
     “Oh yeah. You’re going down.”   
  
  



End file.
